I can tell I’m in production mode – here are fired pieces waiting to be finished and they’re on the drying rack (you can see a mask to the far right).  This means that every flat surface except the floor is occupied.

1.  Every flat surface in my studio is occupied with finished work, work that’s almost finished. work that needs clue and hangers and….

2.  Two of the flat surfaces are taken up with all things glass – wait, make that 3 (I overtook the third while flailing around at the very end of the making session and decoration the glass – which, it turns out, is much more fun than cutting the glass when you are going from never having cut glass in your life to cutting curves; it turns out curves are "advanced,"….. but

3.  I love diving into things that make me think and stretch and learn and   glass most certainly does all of that.  It’s like one big puzzle because the glass breaks – but it doesn’t matter!  you just lay it flat, with its, um, duplicate (sort of duplicate – close to duplicate – almost duplicate) on top of it and all the pieces fuse together if

4.  If we programmed the temperature correctly, but the woman helping me has only worked on small pieces in small kilns so much of this firing that is going on right now as I type is being based on "winging it."  I LOVE winging it.  It makes it ever so much more delicious to open the kiln lid (tomorrow sometime, when the inside temperature mostly matches the outside temperature) and see what’s there.  And get this:

5.  If you mess up glass, you can make something new out of it!  It’s reusable!  So much like making totems from clay pieces with which I don’t agree, glass can be held on to.  Every little teeny tiny bit of it.  Do you know how happy that makes the pack rat in me?!

6.  I spent a delightful afternoon with two great friends, Cindy Pond (Glass artist) and Dhyana Mackenzie (mystical artist) and started working in a new medium.

7.  There’s still snow on the ground outside and it feels like winter (yea!!!!) and inside my home is all cozy from a warm wood stove that keeps me toasty.

8.  I have spent hours playing with my IPod and music (and spent some of my ITunes xmas card) putting together music for my booth at the Phil. Buyers’ Market

9.  I am talking with two women I met at EWomen Network (luncheon) on Wednesday about polishing my presentation style, have listened to two great CDs on booths and sales loaned by a friend and just discovered the guy, Bruce Baker, who did the CDs will be at the Phil Buyers’ Market giving a workshop.

10.  My life is amazing.  The people in my life are amazing. 

11.  Okay, I know I said 10, but since when have I ever followed the rules…and besides there are ever so many more reasons to be grateful but I think I’ll stop now and go play with my new beads (because I’m churning out necklaces for my torsos.  have I mentioned how much I enjoy making necklaces?!)

thought for the day:  Vocation:  where the world’s deep hunger and our deep gladness meet. anon.